


the unruly salt

by iwatobiaquarium (daleked)



Series: sharkbait week [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-26 17:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2661053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daleked/pseuds/iwatobiaquarium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Hey,' Haru whispers. 'Sorry. We've got a new operation for next week. I'll be out for a day or two then. We're finally breaking through the wall, Rin. We'll be <em>free</em>.' Sometimes Rin wonders if he could trade in the hope for a new life for the knowledge that Haru is safe every night, but when Haru is set aglow talking about life outside the Wall of Peace Rin can hardly muster up enough conviction to say otherwise.</p><p>Dystopian!AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	the unruly salt

**Author's Note:**

> cross-posted to my [tumblr](http://billielurk.tumblr.com/tagged/freeficlets). there is a lot of potential for worldbuilding here, but i was writing this at a wedding and dividing one's attention between applause and a fic is never a good idea.

There are bright white lights from the gleaming cityscape in the distance, but downtown where Rin lives the lights flash in a dizzying array of red, yellow and blue. The neon signs advertise all manner of things: massage parlours, brand new comm-devices and restaurants.

The thing is, everyone knows what downtown is for. It’s vice central and even the government knows it. But up there in their shiny seats, they’re content to let the citizens have what they like outside of working hours. Rumour is that outside of the famous Wall of Peace, the rest of the world goes on. It rises above the rest of the buildings, forming the city perimeter, tall and proud and defiantly solid. Rin knows the history of Neo-Tokyo. Who doesn’t? After the first nuclear war, when everything was razed to the ground, a band of people set up Neo-Tokyo as a rehabilitation centre. And it grew, and here they are. The only city left in the world, to hear the officials tell it.

'Cops!' Mikoshiba hisses, and Rin tears his earpiece off his head and stuffs it in his pocket. Wireless communication devices are not allowed outside of work, during which the Bureau of Comms is said to monitors the calls made. Sousuke sweeps the meds off the table and into his bag, and they leg it deep into the dark alley. A cop bike whizzes past, and they heave sighs of relief.

Sousuke leans against the brick wall. ‘I’m tired of running.’ The bag slung over his shoulder bulges with their ill-gotten gains— they’d robbed a pharmacy up in the First Circle earlier this week where the rich people lived.

'We're all tired of running,' Rin says. They make a living hawking stolen medication to the poor, and more often than not they end up giving it away instead of actually selling anything.

Amongst the medicines are several devices to enable euthanasia. Rin isn’t the distributor for these— Sousuke is, and he delivers them straight to the customers’ doorstep. Rin doesn’t want to think about it. They turn and head left, twisting through a maze between buildings until they come to one practically indistinguishable from the others save for a dark green door with a golden knob. Mikoshiba knocks twice slowly, followed by a staccato of five knocks and a jiggle of the knob.

The door opens a little, chain still in place. There’s a sliver of a face barely visible from the crack.

'Don't go,' the voice says calmly.

Sousuke shoves Mikoshiba aside. ‘Where I can’t follow,’ he hisses impatiently. ‘Let us in, Rei. We’re sitting ducks out here. The door closes and they can hear the chains and locks being undone before it swings open. Rei stands there, pushing up his glasses indignantly.

'I was just following protocol.' He turns and heads back into the inner room. 'Haru is back, in case you were wondering.' Sousuke and Mikoshiba turn to smirk at Rin.

Rin turns red. ‘Hey, okay, stop that.’

'Am I going to regret sleeping in the next room?' Mikoshiba asks. 'It's a yes, isn't it?'

'Oh my god,' Rin says. 'Shut up.' It's nice to know that even in the midst of a burgeoning revolution, his brain had decided it was a great idea to totally fall in love with Makoto's second in command. When they reach the inner room Haru is there, poring over maps with Makoto and Nagisa.

Makoto is the leader of the movement. At least, that’s what they tell others. He’s a good poster boy, wholesome and strong and pure, but the entire thing was naturally spearheaded by Nagisa, who is content to control it from a backseat.

'Rin,' Haru greets. 'I've returned.'

'I can see that,' Rin says, and Haru tilts his head. Rin can see that Haru's clothes are filthy at the knees and sleeves, and he realises where's he's been.

Haru flinches when Rin rushes forward. ‘You were at the wall?’ Rin demands, pulling at his clothes. ‘You… You were nearly caught, weren’t you? It was on the news. Someone trying to escape was caught and apprehended. Are you okay?’

'I'm fine,' Haru says, pushing Rin's hand away. 'We have to focus on this next move, Rin. There's no time right now.'

 _There never is time_ , Rin wants to shout, but he drops his bag on the floor and flips all of them off as he goes upstairs. 

Rin is sick from the smoke crowding the poorer districts of Neo-Tokyo, and tired of living life on the fringes.

+

By the time Haru comes up to the room, it's in the wee hours of the morning and the flashing lights advertising the soapland opposite their place have been switched off. He settles into bed behind Rin, pressing close, and Rin stirs in his sleep.

'Haru,' he slurs, half-awake and fumbling in the gloom for the small lamp beside the bed. 'Hey.'

'Hey,' Haru whispers. 'Sorry. We've got a new operation for next week. I'll be out for a day or two then. We're finally breaking through the wall, Rin. We'll be  _free_.' Sometimes Rin wonders if he could trade in the hope for a new life for the knowledge that Haru is safe every night, but when Haru is set aglow talking about life outside the Wall of Peace Rin can hardly muster up enough conviction to say otherwise.

Rin touches Haru's cheek. 'Okay,' he says. 'But don't go where I can't follow.' Haru nuzzles into his palm, turning to kiss it. He reaches for the lamp and tugs on the flimsy string, switching it off.

Their world sinks into darkness then, but there's a creeping ray of sunlight through the blinds across Rin's arm, and he sighs and goes back to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i'd love to know what you thought of this.


End file.
